


The Failed Experiment

by homoamphibians



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Aromantic Asexual Natasha Romanov, De-Aged Wanda Maximoff, Deaf Clint Barton, F/F, Hydra (Marvel), Hydra Agent - Freeform, Kid Wanda Maximoff, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Pre-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Protective Clint Barton, Super Soldier Serum, Teen Romance, Wanda Maximoff Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-04-24 04:41:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19166020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/homoamphibians/pseuds/homoamphibians
Summary: Used and then abandoned by Hydra, the nameless girl had given up on life. On being a human. After all she had not been treated like a human for years. She is a monster, and has been treated as such.After finding her chained up like a dog, the Avengers intensely questions her. She has to prove herself. Even after cooperating they still keep their distance. Everyone does. Even the nicer ones.Until one day the Avengers return from a mission with a girl called Wanda Maximoff, or the Scarlet Witch. Another Hydra experiment. After the two "monsters" meet they might have a chance at finally finding their humanity.





	1. Chapter 1

Footsteps were heard down the hallway, headed to the almost empty classroom I was sitting in. Obviously it was not empty because I was in it, but everyone else had left. I was just awaiting my "escort". Or rather waiting my captures. Even though I was being fairly traded from one owner to the next, I still did not want this. Who could want to be traded from a fair school to a laboratory? Maybe a Сумасшедший. 

I lifted my head as I heard a noise. 

Two sets of footsteps. Both men, wearing boots. I would assume that one was around the height of 142.24 centimeters and weighed around 190 pounds. I couldn't figure out the other's exact details because he kept on stepping at the same time as his "friend". Damn soldiers always marching together. I would assume though being my "escorts" from Hydra that they both were around the same size, varying of course, like all things did. 

"Surely such young pretty girl could not be used for Vinter Soldier Program?"

The clicking noise of heels was easily heard between their dialogue. My headmistress.

"Correct. She vill be used for different program. Karpov vants to use her as experiment. After all she expendable, right?"

A different voice from the other two that I had heard interrupted their conversation. Madame B. "I would advise you both not to talk ill of one of my pupils again. She might be expendable but she was chosen because of her capability. Because of her training. You Идиотов saying she is nothing more than a pretty face is dishonoring my instruction. So think before you speak, yes?"

"Ve are not idiots. Vatch your tongue before I cut it out!" 

Silence for a moment. A unmanly yelp. Then the thudding noise of someone hitting the floor. Silence again except for the footsteps.  

I focused all my attention on the door as it opened. Madame B and my one "escort". I assumed the other was out bleeding in the hall. It happened. Frequently. 

I sat still as they entered. Not moving, appearing to not do anything. But in actuality I was doing something. I was figuring out everything about my "escort". Josef Petrishchev,   one of the most deadly assassins of Hydra. Rumored to be a candidate for  the Winter Soldier Program. Apparently an idiot. Or at least the other guy was an idiot. 

I stared straight ahead and wondered which part of the conversation he had said. Both of their ways of communication sounded too similar. 

If I had finished my training I would have been able to identify immediately. Unfortunately I did not get a chance to finish my instruction under Madame B. I assumed I would have training at Hydra but I also assumed it would not compare. 

"Here she is. Take her, but I would handle her carefully. She responds to pain... unusually," Madame gestured at me and Josef headed over. 

He grabbed my elbow sharply, hurting it. 

I grabbed his elbow just as harshly. Before he had time to react I was already using my arm as a lever and placing him on the ground. 

"Do you not possess common sense and or the ability to listen?" Madame B chuckled lightly at Josef's expense. 

He got up, and quickly pulled my arms behind me so I could not use them. I felt him putting a device almost like handcuffs, tying my arms together. However, it wasn't handcuffs. They were longer, softer, yet tighter. Weird. Wish I could see them. 

Satisfied my hands were bound he did something similar to my feet. I did not resist at this point. I would break out later and prove to him that I was superior. 

He then lifted me up by the arms as if holding a wet and pissed off Котенок. That's how he exited the room, nodding once at Madame. 

I made eye contact with her. 

Her expression did not change, she said nothing, she did nothing. She let me be carried away by Hydra. She let her prized student be carted off. 

Who am I kidding? I was never her prized student. That would be Natalia and would always be Natalia. Even though the little girl was four years younger than me. 

Speaking of Natalia she was watching as I was carried through the halls. The redhead was tearing up. I glared at her to remind her to stay stone faced, and her expression immediately changed. Good. I didn't want the little spider to be punished because of me. 

I spared one more glance at the students, the faces I would never see again. Little did I know that I would be seeing one of them again. Little did I expect for her to be older than me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Сука- Bitch  
> Он оставил- He left  
> Я не говорю по-английски- I do not speak English  
> Вы работаете для Гидры- You work for Hydra?  
> Я просто эксперимент. И больше ничего. И не меньше- I'm just an experiment. Nothing more. Nothing less  
> Как вас зовут- What is your name?  
> Я занят, так что заткнись Бартоном- I'm busy so shut up Barton  
> Вы едете с нами. Вы можете ходить?- You are coming with us. Can you walk?  
> Убейте меня- Kill me

"Avengers are here!" An operative burst into the room I was chained in. He looked around. And then moved to me, grabbing my face and lifting it up. "He's not here? Where is he zen, Сука?"

"Он оставил," I answered simply, ignoring the pain the meaningless soldier inflicted on me. I've had worse. I've hurt myself worse than anyone could ever hurt me.

"Useless." He dropped his hand watching me fall lifelessly to the floor. He stared at me a moment before smiling a bit. It used to disturb me to have men smile at me creepily but I found that I didn't care about anything anymore. "If he still vanted you, he vould have taken you vith him, da?"

I nodded, as I sat up slightly, careful not to sit too far away from the bed. The chains around my neck hurt when I tried to pull away from the bed. I mentally rolled my eyes at the soldier but did nothing to my face in actuality. He was an idiot. Could not even speak English properly, yet insisted on speaking English. Moron.

"Guess you'll just die like you deserve to. If the Avengers come zis vay chew on your cyanide. If you tell any secrets to the Avengers,Hydra vill punish you. And you don't like punishments do you, Сука?"

I shook my head to signify that I did not like punishments.

"Open vide," his grin grew wider as I complied. He shoved a cyanide tablet in my mouth where I could easily bite down on it. "Goodbye." He pat my head lightly and exited. I heard him for a moment locking the door and then running off. Coward. Leaving a young girl alone to die.

I was attempting to joke. Me, a young girl? No. I could never be a young girl. I was a monster. I was experiment #21086. One of the many failed experiments.

I heard a door rattle as if someone were trying to enter. Was HE back? Or was it just the soldier from earlier? I should have known that it was going to be an Avenger.

Steven Rogers, also known as Captain America. One of the Super Soldiers. Friend of James Buchanan Barnes, also known as the Winter Soldier. Dangerous. Strength 8/10. Intelligence 6/10. Speed 8/10. Can be tricked using moral values. Will protect others.

Before he could spot me I moved under the bed. Unfortunately my chain made a creaking noise as it turned, making it obvious that someone else was in the room.

Rogers turned towards the sound and walked towards the bed, holding his vibranium in front of him like always. He peered under the bed spotting me. I shrunk back even further, choking myself with the chain slightly.

Rogers touched the device in his ear before talking, "I've got a kid in the back room of the basement."

"Enhanced? One of Hydra's?" A voice coming out of his communication's device asked. The voice sounded female. American. At least she was putting on an American accent. She was originally foreign though, that was obvious.

"Can't tell. Currently she's hiding under a bed. It looks like she's chained to the bedpost. I'm carefully attempting to approach." The blonde man moved closer towards me.

I shrunk back again, the chain tightening around my neck.

"I'm not going to hurt you..." He said calmly.

I hissed in response, like a feral cat. Perhaps I am a feral cat. I'm certainly not human. Not anymore

"Coming in for back up. Stark finish the upper level rounds, Clint take out any remaining Hydra operatives, Thor go hang out with Banner, and Banner just sit there and look pretty."

"That's what Banner does best yeah?" A new voice came out of the communications device. Male. Arrogant. American. Very American.

"Mistake me if I'm wrong but did you just call Banner pretty, Stark?" The female from before spoke again.

"I did. He's not as pretty as me though. I could do his job much better."

"Sorry Stark, but I gotta say, we're blessed you wear a helmet. Honestly. Your face is really just eh."

"Whatever Robin Hood."

"Cut the chatter." Rogers said quickly and everyone just kind of shut up.

Almost silently the woman entered the room. She was lanky, effortless. Red hair, sharp eyes. Familiar looking.

I couldn't place her.

"She's choking herself out. Move back Steve." The woman analyzed the situation impossibly quickly. She's had training. Maybe that's how I know her?

Rogers followed the instruction without protest. 

The woman approached me quickly. 

I stared at her unblinkingly. 

She gently pulled the chain, forcing me to move forward or die. 

I moved out from underneath the bed, my throat relaxing as I could finally breathe again. I could see her face even better now, which is when I realized who she was. Little Natalia had grown up. I wish I had had the chance to.

"Do you think she works for Hydra?" Rogers asked, observing me closely, but not as close as Natalia was. 

"Perhaps. She is chained up though, which means either she is an operative who did something wrong or she's a prisoner," Natalia turned to look at Rogers. "We've been idiots. They set her up as bait so they could flee." 

"Stark, Barton, see any Hydra agents that made it out?" 

"Let me go check.. Hmm yeah no. I did my job Cap." 

"Quiet pretty boy, let me talk." 

"Alright man in tights, go ahead. Talk all you want." 

"I've got one fleeing the west side. Capture or take him down?" 

"Attempt capture." Natalia turned back to me after Rogers gave orders. 

I didn't want to die, but I didn't want Hydra to find me. I didn't want HIM to find me. I didn't want to be experimented on, or played with. I wanted a good life, one of peace. One where I could've grown up, had a family. That would never happen. If the Avengers didn't kill me, Hydra would mess with me. I wanted a long life. One that wasn't a possibility. So I would gladly settle for the sweet release of death. It might sound crazy, but I'd rather be dead than deal with HIM again. I moved the pill to where I could easily bite down on it. 

Natalia saw through my plan, rushed towards me, opened my jaw, threw the pill on the floor, and then moved away from me. "Sorry. We've got to take you in."

"Does that mean she works for Hydra, since she had a pill?" Rogers asked naively. For someone so old he was a child in this world. The world of kill or be killed.

"Do you work for Hydra?" Natalia turned to me.

"Я не говорю по-английски," I said in response.

"Вы работаете для Гидры?" She asked effortlessly in Russian.

This truly was my Natalia. Except she didn't know me. And she was way older than me. Weird.

"Я просто эксперимент. И больше ничего. И не меньше." I responded truthfully.

"She says she's just an experiment. Probably an enhanced one then. Как вас зовут?" She asked me, taking an almost kind voice to me. 

I shrugged. 

"You know Nat, it's not nice to say things in Russian and then leave everyone on the line confused." One of the male voices said, laughing a bit as he said so.

His voice was warm, but with an edge of sarcasm like Stark. After analyzing his voice I easily figured out his identity. Clint Barton, alias Hawkeye. 

"Я занят, так что заткнись Бартоном." Natalia said quickly. 

I continued with the same face, although I might have smiled at that remark back in the days when I had emotions. Or when I was allowed to show emotions. 

"She basically told me to shut up. Before that she asked what the girl's name was." Barton provided translation.

"Didn't you have something to do Bird boy? Didn't it have something to do with tracking down prisoners?" Stark cut in while Natalia merely shook her head in annoyance and turned off her earpiece. 

I could still hear the commentary from Roger's earpiece but I didn't focus on it. Instead I chose to focus on her. Or rather what she was saying to me. 

"Вы едете с нами. Вы можете ходить?" Her expression was soft, almost as if she wasn't ordering me to come with them and either be killed by what was left of Shield or to be tortured by Hydra.

"Убейте меня," I responded automatically, watching as her face hardened. 

She grabbed my arm roughly. "Steve can you remove the chains from the bed?" 

Rogers nodded and grabbed the chains. He moved closer to where the chains were fastened on the bed. In one swift motion he twisted them until they snapped. 

"Now if you could pick her up," Natalia still held onto my arm. 

Rogers approached me. Time seemed to slow down as the man with slight stubble approached me. I couldn't move. It was like HE was back again and I didn't know what to do. 

My mouth moved involuntarily, a word escaped my mouth that should have been silent, my vocal chords emitted a noise. Just like last time. Except I wasn't holding a knife and I wasn't standing up. Softly I said the one syllable, even though soft wasn't what I wanted to be. Soft was easily manipulated. Easily broken. You had to be harsh to live in this world, and I just made the most pitiful sound in the world. "Please." 

Steve stopped in his tracks, bewildered I assumed by the fact that I spoke English. 

The small, yet now tall, red-head, made a remark of the same effect. "So you do speak English. Steve be gentle with her. She most likely has some trauma in her past that was triggered when you neared her. Otherwise there is no possible reason in hell that she'd give that secret up," her gaze was calculating, harsh, yet confused. 

I just had to wonder. What the hell was she thinking right now? Did she figure me out as easily as I figured her out? Did the prized student's brain work as fast as mine did?

It would be a shame if she had a slower reaction rate. The Madame would be disappointed. Disappointed that she gave the wrong one up as an experiment. 

I let Rogers take me, put me in handcuffs, and carry me out just like I was carried out by Hydra. They were all the same. It didn't matter what organization they believed they were from. All people were the same. Either the killers or the killed. And the man holding me was a killer who believed he was doing the right thing. 

Not the first time I've dealt with that. 


	3. Chapter 3

Steve Rogers was hurting me. Badly. Where he was holding, I had several bruises and cuts, and pressure right there did not feel good. It really hurt.

But I would never let him know that he was hurting. Admitting to pain was losing. And I had already lost a lot by being weak and panicking. By giving up the fact that I spoke English.

We were almost out of the basement. Just a couple more feet and we would start up the stairs and eventually into the sunlight.

I hadn't felt the warm ray of sun on me for ages. I wondered what that was like.

What did warmth feel like?

I had forgotten. I probably lost that when I lost the sensation of happiness.

"Damn it," Barton said, his voice obviously coming from Captain America's earpiece.

Natalia switched on hers again and immediately spoke once it came online. "What happened?"

"That remaining Hydra agent just killed himself before I could capture him. Sorry Nat."

"Alright. Everyone get in the jet, Steve and I are escorting the prisoner back and then we'll be ready to go."

There probably was some snarky remark from Tony Stark but I wasn't paying attention. I had more important things to focus on.

And that would be the pain that was being inflicted by Steve Rogers. He was probably unknowingly inflicting the pain, as I looked like a child and was one technically. It was not cool for Captain America to hurt children, apparently.

Even if the children were nothing more than experiments. Monsters left by Hydra.

Even if the child wasn't supposed to be a child physically.

Even if the child certainly wasn't a child mentally.

Rogers opened a door and suddenly the brightness hit my eyes. 

It was brighter than I remembered. It was so bright. And warm, even though there was a light breeze it was warmer than my typical conditions. 

I was severely out of my element. I was in a new situation with no one I could even slightly trust. Panic filled my body as I flung myself out of Steve's grasp and onto the ground. 

I didn't move after hitting the ground, even though I recovered from it just fine. 

I couldn't move. 

I didn't want to move. 

If I ran, where would I go? What situation would be familiar? No situation would be familiar. This wasn't the world I had once knew. I wasn't a child anymore. I couldn't go flower picking with my parents and be a happy toddler anymore. 

The Academy and Hydra took that away from me. 

Almost as if in a trance, I plucked a couple strands of grass from the ground staring at them. 

I barely took in the fact that Steve was holding me again like I was a feral cat who would scratch him. 

"I don't know why she did that. I have no idea Steve. I thought she was a Hydra agent but a Hydra agent would use that opportunity to either take us down or run for it." Natasha stared at me, walking backwards so she could do that comfortably. 

"Whatever she is, we're taking her back to the base," he confidently said. 

"I'm an experiment," I muttered, tired of people calling me an agent. 

At one point I was going to be a Hydra agent but that didn't work out. Instead they experimented on me and messed everything up. 

She raised an eyebrow, "Elaborate."

I simply shook my head in response. 

Their method of transportation came into view moments later. A quinjet. I had never seen one in person before. 

The doors were opened on it and I was escorted in. 

It was rather full. My eyes darted across the room making notice of everyone I could see. 

Clint Barton. Tony Stark. Thor. Bruce Banner.

I struggled in Steve's arms, not wanting to be anywhere near the Hulk.

I don't know why he was here, in the jet where he could very easily kill everybody.

Or rather where he could hurt me. I didn't care if he killed me but I had a suspicion the Avengers would 'save' me before I died. Leaving me to only experience pain and not the sweet release of death. 

Steve held me steady. "Anyone got some rope?" 

"Kinky. Thought you'd never ask," Stark immediately responded, grinning. 

A groan and a sigh later I was securely tied up. 

I could barely move. 

For an added measure they placed me in Thor's lap so he could hold onto me. 

I stayed as still as possible, knowing he also had superhuman strength like Rogers so he could hurt me quite easily. 

"So you're Hydra huh?" Stark remarked, looking at me closely. 

I stared back at him, "As much as you are Ten Rings." 

"Someone's been doing her homework. I'm impressed. How much do you know about all of us?" He rest his head upon one hand. 

"Enough," I responded simply.

Banner looked at me in a kind sort of way, "That's a really thick accent you have. Are you Russian?"

"Am experiment. Nothing more." I responded simply, not making eye contact with the rage monster who was pretending to be kind. 

"The little one is getting uncomfortable at this discussion. She feels as tense as Loki does before he stabs someone," Thor remarked. 

I turned to stare at him. 

I had heard about Loki who had caused that devastation in New York but from what I knew he was an enemy of the Avengers. It was rather strange that one of the Avengers talked about him so...lovingly for lack of better word. 

"Of course she's tense. Hydra messed her up badly and now she's afraid they're going to hurt her. It's like when Nat first got free from the Academy," Barton joined the conversation. 

I turned to stare at him. What did he know about the Academy? 

He grinned, "Someone remind me what I just said because she just reacted to it." 

I forced my face to become expressionless. He was better than I thought, I would have to keep my guard up more. 

"You said, 'Of course she's tense. Hydra messed her up badly and now she's afraid they're going to hurt her. It's like when Nat first got free from the Academy,'" Rogers repeated word perfectly. 

Stark rolled his eyes and laughed at that. 

Rogers huffed, "What exactly is so funny?"

"No one actually listens to Clint and you're over here quoting him," Stark smirked.

"Hey!" Barton protested, "People listen to me."

Rogers nodded in agreement but the rest of the team was a different story.

Banner looked down, Thor started humming which was an unusual sensation, and Stark simply shook his head.

"Sorry Barton. That's a negative," Natalia called out from the pilot's seat.

"Well screw you. I'm not listening to any of you," Clint removed the hearing aids from his ears with a huff.

"Do all of you mortals have devices that remove your ability to hear?" Thor asked, obviously amused although I could not see him.

I tuned out the conversation, not dwelling on it but mentally filtering to see if there was anything important. Anything unimportant I tuned out. Which seemingly was all of it.

I had never heard people let a conversation become so useless. Usually conversations were to the point. One person would make a demand and the other person would respond. One person would list what they needed from the other and then the other person would comply.

It was efficient.

Whatever this was was certainly not efficient. Which even though it was rather annoying was to my benefit.

They had forgotten about the information Barton had deduced from me. 

Perhaps I would stay strong during the interrogation and not divulge any information.

Perhaps Hydra would not torture me and the Avengers would kill me out of frustration. 

I could only hope. 


	4. Chapter 4

The flight was short and filled with meaningless conversation. I was relatively ignored though, which I appreciated.

I did not appreciate how I was being held though. It was weird and uncomfortable. I was pinned close to his chest with his arms, but his arms were more relaxed. They completely surrounded me rather than his hands grabbing me like I was used to. Still holding me tightly but in a way that did not inflict pain.

I had to force myself not to relax into his chest.

This whole situation was strange if I was being honest.

Banner was looking at me with some sort of sorrow, Barton spared glances of familiarity that I had in no way earned, and Stark seemed curious.

Rogers was the only one who had his expression guarded. The only one I could see anyway. I could not see Thor but Natalia most definitely was acting guarded.

Unless she had completely abandoned the training she had been given. Which considering the fact she was banding with such a mindless group was a complete possibility.

They were the exact opposite of who we had been trained with and by.

They were weak. Compassionate. Full of emotions.

I wondered what emotions felt like. The only ones I remembered were hopelessness and fear. Though resentment and confusion were certainly attempting to make an appearance.

But emotions like sorrow, pity and pure happiness were lost on me. I could not fathom how someone could freely express those.

It might simply be an Avengers thing. That would make more sense. I could not fathom more people being that way. It was a bizarre thought honestly.

Once we had landed, Steve picked me up again. He carried me out in the usual style. Hands on my ribs and dangling me away from his body like I was a кошка that was going to scratch him.

If I cared about my life or had energy to, I would probably have attacked him.

So that was a fair comparison.

Before Rogers could carry me too far, Stark stopped him.

"She should be taken directly into the roof. It'll be easier than taking her through security. I mean my security won't stop us or anything, but there'll be a lot of boring questions I don't want to answer," Stark remarked.

Rogers held me tighter, as if afraid one of the Avengers would take me from him, "I think it would be best if she stayed with the people who could handle a potential threat."

"If I wanted to kill, I would kill," I muttered.

I felt as if I was simply an object that would be passed around, which was a feeling I hated. I had had that feeling ever since I had been unfrozen. Avengers apparently were no different than Hydra in that respect.

I don't know why that was such a surprise to me. I should have expected that, but I did not. I was truly naive.

"See? She's harmless. If you don't trust me Capsicle then get Thor to fly her up," Stark stared directly at him, posing a challenge.

Steve nodded, "I trust you. Take Thor with you just in case though."

He then lifted me and attempted to hand me over to Stark.

Stark shook his head, "Easy there muscles. Set her down and I'll fly her up. I'm not about to damsel in distress her."

"It's called being cautious Tony," Rogers sighed, placing me down onto the grass.

My legs buckled under me for a moment before I stood up through the pain. I was not used to walking, or even standing up.

"Point break! You're my escort, so get over here," Stark called out.

Thor was leaning against the jet, "Of course Stark. Let us go. Will the Man of Iron suit be strong enough to carry her or shall I bring her?"

Tony rolled his eyes, "I carried Legolas and we all know he's not exactly thin."

"I'm curvy, chicks dig that for your information!"  Barton yelled in response.

I rolled my eyes, moving my arms towards Stark so he could carry me easier.

Stark smirked, noticing my eye roll. He proceeded to close his armor around him. He then put my arms around his neck and took off.

The sensation of lifting into the air without warning, made me feel even weaker than I previously was.

Once we had landed securely, I wrestled free of his arms, throwing myself to the ground. I then proceeded to empty the contents of my stomach, which wasn't much as I hadn't eaten food in a while and barely had water.

Stark was immediately next to me, "Thanks for not throwing up on my suit. Can't exactly get a good deep cleaning for specialty suits these days." 

I looked up at him, feeling my nose start to run as it always did after I vomited. My eyes started to itch at this point. 

I truly despised how weak I was. Crying in front of a potential enemy. I had showed them exactly how weak I was. It was against all of my training. 

"It's okay kid. You're okay," Stark looked at Thor, "Any idea how to handle this?" 

Thor nodded, "I am very good with children." 

I stared at the ground, wishing that my body would stop being so vulnerable for one second so I could pull myself together and be emotionless. 

"You are safe now little one. I will defend you from harm until you can fight your own glorious battles and kill your own enemies," Thor placed a hand on my shoulder. 

I flinched, but otherwise didn't react. 

Stark sighed, "Maybe don't mention killing people? It might remind her of Hydra." 

"How am I supposed to comfort the youngling without mentioning how she can get into Valhalla?" Thor scooped me up at this point, "Enough talk though. She is ill and in need of your finest healers." 

Stark nodded, "Banner is ready to go, Jarvis contacted him for me, we just have to take her down there." 

They fell into silence as they carried me. 

The view was rapidly changing but I tried to take it all in, so I could at least have a mental floor plan of their base they had taken me to. 

Within moments, I was on a hospital bed. 

Banner was the one checking my vitals. 

I stayed as still as possible, in fear of him attacking me. I was making sure he would have no reason to injure me. 

"Well?" Stark broke the silence, "Think she'll make it doc?" 

Banner nodded, "She is extremely malnourished and dehydrated though. I'd want to put her on an IV to handle that dehydration and not irritate her stomach."

"Would this IV be the best option for healing her?" Thor asked, placing a hand on Banner. 

"It'll definitely help making her feel more normal," Banner explained. 

"Kid," Stark turned to me, "Are you okay with an IV?" 

It was almost... nice being spoken to instead of spoken about. I knew this caring facade would fade as soon as I was in shape for interrogation though.

I stared at him, "Do not know what zat is."

"Basically, we attach a tube into your veins and that'll help that thirst go away." Stark quickly explained, beating Banner to it.

A tube?

Into my veins?

That would mean being injected. 

I shook my head, "Please do not." 

"Fear of needles?" Stark asked, while Banner sighed in the background. 

The murder machine seemed frustrated with my choice. I didn't know why though, because they could easily force me to have the IV. It was not exactly as if they had to respect my decision. 

I shrugged, "Not fear. Rather avoid being injected with things. I am experiment so too many injections." 

Stark looked away from me, "Makes sense. Well, what's our non-injection method Brucie?" 

"Oral Rehydration Therapy. I'll mix up that solution. She'll need to be under constant watch for at least the first six hours of treatment. You should take her to her room, I imagine it's more comforting than here," Banner replied before quickly exiting. 

Stark turned to me, "Well, you ready to see your new home?"

I shrugged.

"Tone down the enthusiasm," he smirked as Thor picked me up again. 

I simply stared at him in response.


	5. Chapter 5

They had left me alone in what they said would be my room. And strangely enough it was a bedroom.

I had expected a cell but that was not the case.

The cell would have been preferred to being placed upon a bed and left alone.

I knew they would be sending an operative into the room, the rage monster had ordered it after all, and that terrified me.

I was weak to admit having fear or even having fear in the first place. But there was something about the situation that informed me danger was lurking.

I threw myself off of the bed and onto the floor, landing silently. I stayed there, rather than following my impulses and breaking out of the room. In this state I was weaker than everyone in the tower. They could take me out easily, especially if Natalia was still in the tower.

Her being there would eliminate the ability for me to stealth out. Forcing a fight if I truly desired to get out.

And I was not foolish even if I was weak.

The door swung open, revealing Barton with a jug and a cup.

He scanned the room, saying nothing when he spotted me on the floor. Instead, he sat down next to me.

Weird. I would have expected to be punished or at least a change in emotion in him. But nothing.

"So I brought you some water, it might taste a little funny but I can assure you it was not poisoned," he stopped, tensing up. "You're still tied up."

I stared at him, watching as anger started to develop on his face. It was peculiar. I had seemingly done nothing wrong.

Did he want me to untie myself? Had complying with the Avengers been a test that I had failed?

"Sorry," I whispered, wishing to calm him down.

He grabbed my wrist gently and started untying me, "I'm not mad at you. I thought my teammates would be civilized people and untie you. It's kinda of a dick move to leave a child tied up in a bedroom."

I stared at him again, "I could be threat."

He shook his head, smiling, "No offense but I don't see you as a threat."

"You trust me?" I inquired.

He shrugged, "I trust that you won't hurt me."

"I will not hurt you," I responded. I could not hurt him if I tried probably. And why try when he had stopped my pain?

My wrists were free, no longer being cut into by rope. Of course, I would attempt to win over the man who had allowed me such freedom.

He grinned, "Glad to hear that. Anyway, I'm Clint. What's your name?"

I shrugged.

He filled the cup up with the liquid from the jug and placed it next to me. "You don't have one? Don't want to tell me? Give me something to work with." 

I hesitated, wondering if he would force me to tell him. 

I did not want to tell him. I could not tell him. I did not want to hear it uttered out loud. 

Not since HE had spoken my name. 

I was worried hearing it would compromise me, make me weaker than I was already. Send me back into the memory of the past. I could not go back there. I could not.

"I have name. Don't like it. Bad memories associated with it," I muttered, divulging probably too much information. 

He nodded, "You need to sip on that. Do you want to come up with a name or something I can call you? Because I don't particularly like calling you the girl or her." 

I took a sip of it, hoping that if it was poison that it would be a quick acting lethal one, "Experiment 21086. That is my other name." 

Clint shook his head, "You know, I'm not feeling the numbers. I hate math and numbers are a part of math." 

I stared at him, waiting for him to call me something. He would come up with a title for me and I would have to accept it. 

"I'll get you a book of names and you can pick one out you like. You're Russian right? Do you want one with Russian names or just general names?" 

"Am experiment," I took another sip of the water based solution. 

He sighed, "No. You're a person. What type of names do you want?"

"Am experiment, not person. I have not been a person for years," I muttered, flinching as his frustration grew. 

I had made a mistake and had provoked him. The act of kindness would surely fade away and he would injure me. 

I was such a fool. 

He looked me in the eye, I looked at the ground showing my submission. 

"Listen kid, you're more than what people made you. I'm not a mindless slave, Natasha isn't a heartless murderer, and other examples I'm sure," his eyes were presenting an emotion I had not experienced being directed to me before. 

It was weird. 

"She changed her name," I looked up at him, "Can I do that too? Be a different person?"

It was a moment of desperation, but it seemed to increase my favor with him. He liked the fact that I was weak. Or at least I assumed so. 

He smiled at me, "Of course. What type of names do you want or do you have a particular one in mind?" 

"Russian," I responded, not smiling back. Smiling meant happiness and that was still a foreign concept to me. 

"Until you choose a name, I'm gonna call you Arrowhead, you cool with that?"

I nodded, "Whatever you want." 

"Anyway," Clint started rambling uselessly. 

I listened, finding it actually quite intriguing. 

Perhaps these conversations actually did serve a purpose. 

Interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all toy story 4 fucked me up  
> I was not ready for it  
> I didn't cry at endgame or infinity war but I was bawling at fucking toy story 4 like all the way through it
> 
> also arrowhead is a type of spider that's super harmless and I figure Clint would know different types of spiders to tease Nat with. it's my headcanon he never calls her black widow but some obscure type of spider each time.


End file.
